The sermons of M. John Calvin, upon the Epistle of S. Paul too the…The sermons of M. Iohn Caluin, vpon the Epistle of S. Paule too the…

But let us come too the second part which I glanced at. For S. Paul showeth that besides Gods vouchsafing no have the Gospel preached unto us, it behoveth him also too woke by his holy spirit and by a special grace. And in very deed we shall find many that will well enough grant that God was not moved to send us his Gospel upon any other cause than his own, mere free goodness. But therewithal they surmise, that the cause why some receive it and some receive it not, is for that their own free wills do• rule the roste• and by that means Gods grace is diminished. For God offereth us not his grace, as a man should offer an apple too little […] so as he that could run best, should come and have it. If God should cast it out so, it is certain that the greatest part of our salvation should proceed of our own power and policy, and the commendation thereof should redound too our selves. Now then, after S. Paul hath showed that God hath called, and daily doth call us too the inheritance of his heavenly kingdom, and that his so doing proceedeth ⟨image 50⟩of his own mere free goodness. He addeth further, that it behoveth us of necessity to be touched with his holy spirit. In deed he setteth down but the one part of the grace of the holy ghost: & that is because he had set down the other part before: for he hath not in this discourse forgotten aught that belonged to his matter: but he began with Gods free goodness wherewith we be all filled, and showed that faith springeth out of the said fountain of free election. And now for the second part he addeth, that Gods enlightening of us by his holy spirit, so that whereas we were blind, he hath printed his grace in our hearts, and bowed and bent them to the obeying of him, is not enough for us: but that moreover he must be fain to confirm us, and strengthen our faith, by giving us an invincible constancy too hold out too the end. Ye see then that the thing whereto S. Paul bringeth us, is, that besides our receiving of faith at the hand of the holy Ghost, and besides his enlightening of us by his grace, whereof I have spoken already: he doth also stay us in such wise, as we fall not away. For the better understanding hereof, we must first call to mind the thing that hath bin treated more at length already:

But let vs come too the second part which I glaunced at. For S. Paule sheweth that besyds Gods voutsafing no haue the Gospell preached vntoo vs, it behoueth him also too wooke by his holie spirit and by a speciall grace. And in very deede wee shall find many that will well ynough graunt that God was not moued to send vs his Gospell vppon any other cause than his owne, mere free goodnesse. But therwithall they surmyze, that the cause why some receyue it and some receiue it not, is for that their owne free wils do rule the roste and by that meanes Gods grace is diminished. For God offreth vs not his grace, as a man shoulde offer an apple too litle so as hee that could ronne best, should come and haue it. If God should cast it out so, it is certaine that the greatest parte of our saluation shoulde proceede of our owne power and policie, and the commendation therof should redound too our selues. Now then, after S. Paul hath shewed that God hath called, and dayly dooth call vs too the inheritance of his heauenly kingdome, and that his so dooing proceedeth